Cheistophee c



(No Model.)

C. C. SHELBY.

4 GLASP. No. 809,258. Patented Deo. 16, 1884.

vWIf'JVESSES JJV VEJVTOR gf/@M i @M5343 .flttornew` rrn @rares Aral* FFME@ CHRISTOPHER O. SHELBY, OF NEV YORK, N. Y.

CLASP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 3`09,258, dated December 16, 1884.

Application led October 17, 1884. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern Be it known that I, CHRISTOPHER C. Siren BY, ofthe city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Glasps; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this speciiication, and to the figures and letters of reference marked thereon.

My invention relates to that class of clasps which are composed of two parts pivoted or otherwise connected to each other, and having their jaws or gripping portions held together by spring-pressnre or other suitable means; and it consist-s in anovel construction of the jaws or gripping parts, whereby the clasp is rendered less liable to tear or injure the fabric to which it is engaged, all as will be hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l represents a side elevation of a clasp constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the same. Figs. 3, 4, 5, and (i are views showing the application of the invention to different forms of clasps, and Figs. 7, S, and 9 are views of old forms of clasps.

Olasps made with smooth gripping jaws or edges abutting directly against each other, as shown in Fig. 7, are objectionable for the reason that a quick pull upon them will cause a fabric held by their jaws to become disengaged, owing to the fact that the grip of the 3 5 jaws is not positive enough, and while the use possible to prevent the detachment of the fabric under a violent pull, and to increase the effectiveness of such jaws I invented and patented an improvement which consisted in inclining backwardly the gripping-points, as shown in Fig. 9, my patent being dated April 18, 1880, andnumbered 226,559; but while this improvement served to cause the jaws to grip the fabric more closely and firmly, as the pressure exerted in attempting to withdraw it increased, the tendency to injure and tear the fabric by the penetration of the points or teeth was not diminished, but perhaps increased.

The object of my present improvement is to combine the advantages of iposit-ive engagement, resulting from the backward inclination of the gripping parts of the jaws,with the advantages of straight unbroken gripping-sun faces, and without the disadvantages attending the use of points or teeth. I therefore in-k eline backwardly the gripping-edges of the jaws, as shown in Figs. 1 to 6, inclusive, and form the abutting clamping-cdges a straight from side to side, so as to give a wide and secure bearing upon the fabric clasped without a positive penetration of it, as would be the case were points or teeth employed. W'ith clasps thus constructed a pull upon the fabric clamped causes thc straight clamping-edges of the jaws to be more firmly drawn together and to hold the material more securely.

The means for holding the jaws closed may consist of springs or slides or lever arrangements such as are commonly employed.

Dierent well-known forms of clasps are shown in the several modiiications represented in Figs. l to 6, inclusive.

What I claim as my present improvement 1s- A clasp having the holding ends of its cooperating jaws backwardly inclined and provided With straight unbroken gripping-surfaces, substantially as described, for the purpose speciiied.

CHRISTOPHER Q. SHELBY.

NTitnesses:

ALEX. S. STEWART, CITAS. R. BURR. 

